Collection Information
Ancestry is home to an extensive collection of telephone directories. Directories typically contain entries for the head of household and include name, occupation, and home address. Business listing may include the professional listing for family members. In the case of older telephone directories, these You may find street directories, lists of advertisements (which may include your ancestor’s business), lists of government officials, charitable organizations, churches, cemeteries, hotels, maps, and much more.
In the case of recent directories, if your surname is a bit unusual, consider reaching out to people who share that surname who are living near places where your ancestors lived. This is a good way to connect with families who have drifted apart. Be aware that they may be suspicious of your motives at first, but if you share some family information and perhaps a photograph of one of your ancestors, they may be more willing to share what they know.
Telephone directories contain addresses and phone numbers and can be quite helpful in locating living relatives or possible relatives with the same surname or a similar surname. The phone company in most cities publishes a directory of everyone in that area who has a listed phone number.
Much like city directories, a telephone directory will include the name and address of a given person, as well as their telephone number. They sometimes also include an occupation.
